100 Synopsis of the Birds 



feathers : tongue thick, cylindrical, acute, compressed and 

 bifid at tip. Feet moderate ; tarsus shorter than the mid- 

 dle toe ; toes free ; lateral toes subequal ; hind toe hardly 

 shorter than the inner ; hind nail largest. Wings rather 

 short ; first and second primaries but little shorter than the 

 third or fourth, which is longest. 



Female differ from the male principally in the breeding 

 dress. Young, after the first season, resemble the adult. Eu- 

 ropean and North American species chiefly moult once a 

 year. 



Live in woods, bushes, and orchards; alighting generally 

 on the branches of trees, sometimes on the ground ; travel in 

 flocks. Breed in trees and thickets ; have several broods 

 annually. Many excel in song : easily tamed and kept in 

 cages. Flesh good. 



Spread all over the earth. 



I divide them into four subgenera, which, however, pass 

 insensibly into each other. 



§ 1. Palate rather prominent, sometimes with the rudiment of 

 a tubercle. 



SUBGENUS. 1. SPIZA. 



Spiza, Nob. Obs. Norn. Wils. Orn. 



Genera Passerina, Fringilla, Emberiza, Vieill. 



Edges of the lower mandible narrowed in. 



Connects Fringilla with Emberiza, especiallyPlectrophanes, 

 by the greater part of the species, and with Tanagra by a few, 

 which might perhaps constitute a subgenus by themselves. 

 f Species forming the passage to Tanagra. Bill subincurved. 



163. Fringilla amcena, Nob. Verdigris-blue ; beneath white ; 

 breast pale ferruginous ; wings bifasciate with white ; bill 

 notched. 



Lazuli Finch, Fringilla amcena, Nob. Am. Orn. i. p. 61- 

 ph 6. fig. 4. Emberiza amcena, Say. 



